"Health Cuts KIll" Vigil Protests $1 Trillion in Federal Healthcare Cuts

Massive Voter Turnout Urgent: End MAGA Republican Control of US House and Senate

NEW HAVEN – Local activists gathered in New Haven on June 5 to call for accountability from federal elected officials regarding the massive $1 trillion cuts to the nation's healthcare infrastructure. The event at Yale University’s Amistad Park is part of Seven Days in June: HEALTH IS PRIMARY, a nationwide mobilization uniting local advocates, healthcare workers and public figures against federal funding cuts and their devastating impact.

“The loss of subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is just the beginning and just the tip of the iceberg. Many of the biggest harms of the ‘big beautiful bill’ haven’t even gone into effect. The plain truth about those who voted for it is this: they do not believe that healthcare is a right or that it should be accessible and affordable for everyone. It’s simply a different way of thinking than we share,” said John Brady, RN, Vice President of AFT Connecticut.

Last year, MAGA Republican Congressional leaders pushed through $1 trillion in health cuts and delayed the most devastating human and economic impact until later this year. The damage is real: 446 hospitals at risk of closing and 51,000 preventable deaths every year.

“Time and again, we have seen the consequences of failing to invest in and protect our most vulnerable communities. Members of our coalition are deeply concerned about what lies ahead as families who have repeatedly been let down by our systems face even greater uncertainty. This is a question of leadership, shared responsibility, and our collective commitment to ensuring that all communities have the opportunity to thrive. The impacts of these decisions will be felt long after the headlines fade unless our state elected officials act now,” said Katherine Villeda, Coalition Director of the HUSKY for Immigrants coalition.

Local groups across the country are organizing town halls, forums, and rallies during this first week in June to demand elected officials go on the record. The New Haven action is spearheaded by UNITE-HERE, Locals 33, 34, 35 and 217 and co-sponsored by a broad coalition of 20 organizations.

It has been left to the states to make up the difference for healthcare and other needs that have been slashed by HR 1.

“We need to challenge our brothers and sisters in the Democratic Party who may not have the courage to tax wealth to make sure that it’s redistributed in healthcare. We need to challenge them to find the courage that healthcare workers, six years ago, faced every single day when they went into work without PPE, taking care of folks during the worst pandemic in a century,” said SEIU Connecticut State Council President Rob Baril.

Participants celebrated “healthcare heroes,” the hard-working people whose skill and compassion are the backbone of this naton's healthcare system. They reaffirmed the centrality of compassion, empathy and service as core values shared by their various community organizations - and expected of their elected leaders.

“We are here at this vigil to grieve tonight, for those who were already lost and those who will be lost. But we shouldn’t push away the righteous anger grief causes. Instead, we need to embrace it and channel it into action - because it’s very clear now they don’t just want us poor, they want us dead. No one is going to swoop in to save us,” said Dave Hannon, President of Connecticut Health Care Associates,

AFSCME District 1199.

The event concluded with a candlelight vigil to honor those already lost and the millions more whose lives are at risk if funding is not restored Events in 75 cities in 33 states amplified the message that health cuts kill, and families across America are already paying the price.

“Healthcare is a human right, and no one should be denied care because of immigration status. The same bills cutting dollars from healthcare is paying for the agents detaining our families. The young people we work with feel both of those at once. They are not bargaining chips, and we are not going to be quiet while their health and their families get traded away,” said Tabitha Sookdeo, Executive

Director of Connecticut Students for a Dream.

The Republican majority stripped more than $1 trillion from Medicaid, the ACA, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) on July 4, 2025, constituting the largest healthcare rollback in American history. Once fully implemented, over 15 million will lose their health coverage.

Participating organizations include: AAUP Yale, AFT Connecticut, Anchor Health, CARE, Connecticut AFL-CIO. Connecticut Citizen Action Group, Connecticut Health Care Associates, AFSCME, Connecticut for All. Connecticut Students for a Dream, Equality Connecticut, Greater Westville Indivisible, HUSKY for Immigrants., New England Health Care Employees Union, SEIU District 1199, New Haven Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 933, New Haven Immigrants Coalition (NHIC), New Haven Peoples Center, New Haven Pride Center. New Haven Rising, SEIU Connecticut State Council, Teamsters Local 443, UNITE-HERE Locals 33, 34, 35 and 217